Honing device or holder for safety-razors



W. SUMMERBELL.

HONINQ DEV |CE 0R HOLDERFOR SAFETY RAZORSL APPLICATION FILED mu 11. ms.

1,327,498. Q Patented Jan. 6,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SUMMERBELL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, OF ONE-HALF T0 FRANCIS ARTHUR SUTTON, OF OAKHURST, ASI-IFORD, ENGLAND.

I-IONING DEVICE OIt HOLDER FOR SAFETY-RAZORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed July 17, 1919. Serial No. 311,434.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM SUMMER- BELL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Honing Devices or Holders for Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to an improved honing device or holder for safety razor blades, and has for its main object the production of a holder which is at once simple and effective, and cheap of manufacture.

' The invention has for its further object the production of a holder into which the blade to be honed may be readily inserted and as readily withdrawn, and which will present the edge of the blade to the hone surface in such manner that the blade will have a fair and even bearing thereon at all times. Furthermore, the structure is such that it may be readily manipulated in the act of honing the blade.

The holder is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form. of the holder showing a blade positioned therein;

Fig. 2 a transverse sectional view taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a similar view on a somewhat enlarged scale taken on the line III III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 an enlarged view of a portion of a double edge safety razor blade such as is shown in the figures above referred to;

Fig. 5 a top plan view showing the holder having positioned therein a safety razor blade with a rigid back;

Fig. 6 an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 7 a plan view showing a modified form of the holder; and

Fig. 8 a transverse section taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to at inclusive. The holder is preferably produced from a single piece of spring sheet steel bent to form. It may be said to comprise two body portions 1 and 2, which at their rear are connected by two bow-shaped elements 3 and 4, the body of the blank being cut away between said bow-shaped portions so as to produce oppositely disposed lugs or arms 5 and 6. Each of said lugs is provided with an opening formed therein for the reception of a ball 7, the openings and theball being of such size that the ball protrudes outwardly beyond the outer faces of the lugs and forms a roller bearing adapted to rest upon the honing surface, designated by H. A pair of jaws or clamping lips 8 and 9 extend forwardly from the body members 1' and 2. Owing to the spring of the metal these jaws normally come together and will clamp blade which is positioned therebetween. To absolutely center and hold a double edge blade, such as 10, which has two openings 11 formed in the body thereof, one of the lips, as for instance, the upper lip, is indented at two points, as indicated at 12, forming shallow projections or lugs. The spacing of the openings 11 in the blades are usually standard and the depressions 12 will be so spaced that when a blade is inserted between the jaws or lips 8 and 9 and moved endwise therebetween, the lugsor depressions 12 will enter the openings 11 and thus securely hold the blade in position. In order to position a blade having a rigidbaok, I provide inwardly projecting stop lugs 13 formed by cutting the metal in the upper body portion out and turning the metal inwardly. Such a blade is denoted by 14, Figs. 4 and 5 and the rigid back by 15 and, as will be seen, the back contacts said inwardly projecting stop lugs when the blade is positioned therein. The jaws or lips 8 and 9 at such time exert a clamping action upon the body of the blade and prevent any movement of the blade relative to the holder when the holder and blade are being moved over the hone in the operation of sharpening the blade.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a modification of the holder is shown. In this instance, as in the other forms, the holder is formed from a single piece of metal bent to form and comprises two body elements 16 and 17 connected at their rear by a wall or vertically disposed member 18. The members 16 and 17 converge toward their forward ends and ter minate in clamping lips or jaws 19 and 20, the body members and lips merging into each other by slightly curved portions denoted by 21 which in effect form a stop or hearing for the back bar or thickened pore tion of the inserted blade when a blade of that type is employed. The lips, as in the other case, lie in substantial parallelism and firmly grasp the blade. Cut out of and folded rearwardly from each of the members 16 and 17 is a lug or arm 21 each arm having a round opening formed therein for the reception of a ball the openings and the ball being of such size that the ball protrudes outwardly beyond the outer faces of the lugs and forms a roller bearing adapted to rest upon the hone surface.

In order to insure proper positioning and holding of a double edge blade, such as shown in Fig. 4:, I provide the lower lip 20 with a pair of spaced upwardly extending lugs or protuberances 23 which underlie openings 24 formed in the upper lip or jaw, said protuberances passing into the openings 11 of the blade when it is moved endwise between the lips or jaws.

Under both forms it will be noted that the device is produced from a single piece of metal bent to form and the holder is at once simple and strong and cheap to produce.

In use, as Will be noted upon reference to the drawings, the edge of the blade will bear squarely upon the hone and the only point of contact of the device or holder proper is that afforded by the freely revoluble ball.

It will be seen that in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the inner edge of the double blade is prevented, by the de pressions 12, from coming into contact with the inwardly projecting stops 13, and the same is true of the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, wherein the members 23 act in the same manner. The stops 13, where a solid back blade is placed within the holder, prevents such back from coming into contact with the ball and interfering with its free rotation. Moreover where the stops 13 and the depressions 12 are both present the blade, if it has a solid back and openings therein, will coact with both such elements 12 and 13. Again, the members 12, when a rigid back blade is inserted, as in Figs. 5 and 6, without any openings therein, seeiningly take a better hold upon the blade than do perfectly fiat lips, thus tending to prevent endwise movement of the blade.

What is claimed is,--

1. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a blade-holder; a pair of arms extending rearwardly therefrom, said arms being fixed with relation to the holder, and each arm having a round opening formed therein; and a ball held between said arms and extending through the openings in the arms.

2. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a blade-holder comprising a body portion having oppositely-disposed spaced elements and a pair of forwardly extending blade-clamping lips; a pair of rearwardly extending fixed lugs, said lugs each having a round opening therein; and a ball loosely positioned be tween said lugs and extending through the openings, said ball being free to move or turn in all directions.

3. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a body portion, lips extending forwardly therefrom, and a pair of rearwardly-extending lugs, all of said parts being formed from a single piece of metal bent to form; and a ball mounted between the lugs and extending through openings formed therein, said ball being free to turn in all directions.

4. As a new article of manufacture a reversible blade holder having a ball mounted in the rear portion thereof and protruding outwardly through both sides of such rear portion, said ball being freely revoluble and serving, with the blade being sharpened, as the bearing or support for the holder, whereby the edge of the blade will have a fair and even bearing and may be readily drawn over the sharpening surface in any direction.

5. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a blade holder comprising oppositely disposed spaced body elements and a pair of spring lips for clamping the blade extending forwardly therefrom; a pair of projections extending inwardly from one lip at the forward edge thereof toward the other lip; a pair of rear- 'wardly extending lugs, said lugs each having a round opening therein; and a ball loosely positioned between said lugs and extending through the openings, said ball being free to move and turn in all directions.

6. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a blade holder comprising oppositely disposed spaced body ele ments and a pair of spring lips for clamping the blade extending forwardly from said elements; a pair of stop lugs extending inwardly from one of said spaced elements toward the other and in rear of the lips; and a ball mounted in the rear portion of the structure and protruding outwardly through both sides thereof, said ball being freely revoluble and serving with the blade being sharpened as the bearing or support for the holder whereby the edge of the blade will have a fair and even bearing and may be readily drawn over the sharpening surface in any direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM SUMMERBELL. 

